Himachal HC gets tough against frivolous litigation

Shimla, March 17 (IANS) Getting tough against frivolous litigation, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has said public interest could only be served by a bonafide litigant.

It clarified that unscrupulous litigants cannot disguise personal or individual grievance as public interest litigation (PIL).

A division bench of Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan, while disposing a petition by Ali Mohammed challenging the constitution of the state Waqf Board, on Wednesday warned him not to indulge in such misadventures in future.

“Since the petitioner has abused the process of this court, he in ordinary circumstances would have been liable for imposition of heavy costs,” said the court.

“However, taking into consideration the fact that the notice has not been issued to the opposite party, we refrain from doing so.”